Oh Sleep, my good ol' friend where are you hiding?

       So I thought I'd start off with a huge praise report for this weeks actual blog post. About five days ago I started getting a horrible ear ache. I've never had an ear issue/infection ever. Then I took a moment to evaluate my routine of late.
       First, I have always prided myself on a high healthy immune system from how I eat, work out, and sleep. Oh wait! Sleep! My good ol' friend I've been missing for the last four months, that would lower my immune system. And secondly, I may have gotten a little over zealous with a few q-tip cleaning sessions...I will leave it at that.
      The doctor said I had a blister on my eardrum which would need antibiotics. My first reaction (since of course I do all my pre-look ups on the internet) was this can't happen. I'm breastfeeding, you can't be on antibiotics and nurse at the same time. He gave me the weekend to try topical drops. I usually don't stress out, but when I do they are quite significant.And this knew found knowledge brought upon the stress.

Atleast Cedric's grumpy tired face is cute.

      It didn't help that the combination of Cedric's not-so-great sleeping habits and my excruciating earache had me up four nights with little sleep. By halfway through the weekend, I was breaking down crying thinking there is no way I could NOT nurse Cedric for ten days. That would encompass him on formula (which is my worst nightmare), I would have to pump and dump all day/night for 10 days (which up to a few days ago I had never even touched that contraption), and would completely mess Cedric's already interesting sleep habits since I often nurse him back to sleep on his night
awakenings. => the total meltdown. 

You wouldn't of wanted to see my face...

      But AMEN to answered prayers! I had MANY people praying for me that whole weekend and as Monday arrived for my morning checkup, I already felt my ear healing and not hurting as much. The doctor said there was barely any blister left and I should have no more issues if I take the drops for a few more days! So thank the Lord!
  Speaking of sleep deprivation, it seems that Cedric is getting more accustomed to night wakings. Being a baby they do not know how to fall asleep on their own. Guess that means Mama Bree needs to get on the sleep training band wagon. With the help of talks with my cousin Megan (who has had many of the same issues as me) and researching on the internet, I discovered the No Cry Sleep Solution book by Elizabeth Pantley. I promised myself if I didn't have this big antibiotics fiasco, I'd start implementing it soon. I personally do not believe in the cry-it-out method, and after reading this book I have high hopes in 'curing' Cedric of these endless sleepless nights. Yes, the cry-it-out method is suppose to take two or three days and your kid is fixed, but if I am already getting little sleep, why not work with my kid in a more gentle way for a week or even month and solidify a healthy sleeping habit?

What Mama needs after no sleep!

If only this happened everyday...

      The basic way this is suppose to work is you put your baby down in his crib drowsy but not asleep.  If they start crying you pick them up nurse or rock until he calms down again and them repeat the process until baby is asleep. I am still finishing up the end of the book, but next blog I will discuss more about the routine and give a clearer understanding of what I am getting myself into. Maybe even encourage some of you to try it out with your kiddos! I have read many success stories, my cousin being one of them.
      Have you had any health incidents and discovered it was all from lack of sleep? Were you able to cure it with making time for sleep? Or do you have/had a baby that is like Cedric and doesn't understand the importance of sleep yet? I want to hear your stories! 

Until next time my friends! Have a marvelous rest of your week!